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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MST THU FEB 8 2018
...Today in metro Denver weather history...
31-8 In 1963...warm weather that began with the strong chinook
winds on the 31st and 1st continued through the 8th.
Maximum temperatures through the period ranged from 52
degrees on the 2nd to 76 degrees on the 5th...which was
a new record high for that date.
31-12 In 1899...a protracted cold spell lasted almost two weeks.
Low temperatures plunged below zero on all days but
February 9th with a reading of 6 degrees. The coldest
low temperature of 22 degrees below zero on February 6th
was a record low for the date. Low temperatures of 20
degrees below zero occurred on both February 11th and 12th...
but only the 11th remains as the record minimum for the
date. High temperature of only 5 degrees below zero on
February 11th was a record low maximum for the date. High
temperatures climbed to only zero degrees on both February
2nd and 3rd...but were not records. Intermittent light snow
or flurries fell during the period. The most snowfall...2.0
inches...occurred on February 2nd.
1-9 In 1883...a protracted cold period occurred when low
temperatures dipped below zero for 9 consecutive days.
Low temperatures ranged from 22 degrees below zero on
the 4th to 2 degrees below zero on the 1st and 6th. High
temperatures ranged from 10 below zero on the 3rd to
23 on the 9th. Several temperature records were set
that still stand today. Record lows of 18 below and
22 below zero occurred on the 3rd and 4th. Record low
maximum readings of 2 below and 10 below zero occurred on
the 2nd and 3rd. The high of only 10 below zero on the
3rd is the coldest maximum temperature ever recorded in
Denver.
5-11 In 1978...the 5th marked the start of a record 7 consecutive
days of dense fog at Stapleton International Airport. The
heavy fog reduced the visibility to 1/4 mile or less for a
period of time on each of these days. Light snow and/or
freezing drizzle occurred on most days. Fog reducing
visibility to less than 7 miles was recorded at Stapleton
International Airport on 11 consecutive days through the
15th. During the period 5-14...the cold thick fog deposited
heavy rime ice up to 5 inches thick on power lines and poles
over a wide area of eastern Colorado...causing a major
electrical power outage disaster.
6-10 In 1933...3:00 PM on the 6th marked the start of a protracted
cold period through 8:00 AM on the 10th when the temperature
was below zero for 86 out of 88 hours. The cold period was
interrupted on the 8th at 9:00 AM when the temperature was
1 degree above zero and at 10:00 AM when the temperature was
8 degrees above zero. Four temperature records were set.
High temperatures of 4 degrees below zero on the 7th...8
degrees on the 8th...and 5 degrees below zero on the 9th were
record low maximums for those dates. The only record low
temperature record was 14 degrees below zero on the 10th.
The lowest temperature reached during the period was 16
degrees below zero on both the 7th and 8th...which were not
records.
7-8 In 1936...a sharp blast of frigid Arctic air was of short
duration. At 11:00 AM on the 7th the temperature was
39 degrees...but dropped to only 1 degree within an hour.
A more gradual decrease occurred through the night to
a low temperature of 25 degrees below zero shortly after
6:00 AM on the 8th. This was the lowest temperature ever
recorded in February. (The record was equaled on February
1...1951.) Snowfall of 1.0 inch occurred in the cold air.
During the day on the 8th...northwest chinook winds from 12
to 16 mph...and as high as 21 mph warmed the temperature
to a high of 35 degrees at 7:00 PM. This was a rise in
temperature of 60 degrees in 13 hours. Unofficially...the
temperature dipped to a low of 30 degrees below zero at
Denver Municipal Airport on the morning of the 8th.
In 1956...5.5 inches of snow fell at Stapleton Airport where
east-northeast winds gusted to 23 mph on the 7th.
In 1980...an upslope storm dumped 4 to 10 inches of snow over
the plains and as much as 22 inches in the foothills.
Traffic was snarled and some schools were closed. Two
runways were closed for 3 hours at Stapleton International
Airport...where snowfall totaled 6.5 inches and north winds
gusted to 25 mph. Most of the snow fell on the 7th.
8 In 1886...northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph in the
city. The strong winds were accompanied by a cold wave.
In 1905...west winds were sustained to 40 mph behind a cold
front. The bora winds warmed the temperature to a high
of only 38 degrees and produced a trace of snow.
In 1939...the very light snowfall...which began during the
morning...contained unusually symmetrical...flat and dry
snow crystals. These snow crystals continued to fall
all afternoon. Snowfall was only a trace. Temperatures
ranged from a low of 7 degrees to a high of 18 degrees.
In 1942...a major storm dumped 8.0 inches of heavy snow on
downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 17 mph.
In 1981...high winds occurred over the eastern foothills with
72 mph reported atop Squaw Mountain west of Denver and 60
to 70 mph winds at other locations in the foothills west of
Denver. Wind gusts to 50 mph were reported in Boulder.
Northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International
Airport.
8-9 In 1898...rain changed rapidly to snow during the late evening
of the 8th and continued through the early afternoon of the
9th. Snowfall totaled 6.0 inches in the city. Northeast
winds were sustained to 26 mph with gusts to 30 mph on
the 8th.
In 2001...heavy snow fell across metro Denver mainly in and
near the eastern foothills. Snow totals included: 12 inches
atop Crow Hill and near Evergreen; 10 inches in Evergreen and
near Morrison; 9 inches at Genesee; 8 inches atop Lookout
Mountain and near Littleton and Bailey; 6 inches at Arvada
and Ken Caryl Ranch; and 5 inches in Broomfield...Chief Hosa...
and Thornton. Snowfall totaled 5.1 inches at the site of
the former Stapleton International Airport. Temperatures
dipped to 15 degrees below zero at Denver International
Airport on the morning of the 9th...setting a new record
minimum for the date.
In 2002...high winds in the foothills on the 8th spread over
the plains on the 9th and caused much blowing dust and snow
and blizzard conditions east and northeast of metro Denver.
I-70 was closed from just east of Denver to the Kansas state
line. Zero visibilities coupled with snowpacked and slick
roads caused multiple car accidents in southern Weld County.
High winds developed in the foothills on the 8th with gusts
to 71 mph on Rocky Flats and to 75 mph at the National Center
for Atmospheric Research Mesa Lab in Boulder. The high
winds continued on the 9th with gusts to 83 mph near Fritz
Peak...70 mph at Evergreen...and 67 mph at Parker. Northwest
winds gusted to 55 mph on the 8th and to 58 mph on the 9th at
Denver International Airport where the surface visibility
was reduced to as low as 1 mile in blowing dust on the 9th.
In 2008...strong downslope winds developed in and near the
Front Range Foothills. Peak gusts included: 88 mph at
Georgetown...85 mph at Berthoud Pass...81 mph at the NCAR
Mesa Lab...78 mph at the National Wind Technology Center...
at 76 mph at Floyd Hill. At Denver International Airport...
gusty west winds to 48 mph were observed on the 8th.
$$